Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Exclusive Premiere for Finland: RAUNCHY – ‘Frostbite’ Single & Lyric Video

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 31, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: RAUNCHY. Leave a comment

Following the acclaimed singles “Designed Despair”, “Darkest Self” and “Frameworker”, Danish modern metal visionaries RAUNCHY unveil “Frostbite”, the fourth single and video from their long-awaited new album, “Prisoner”. Blending crushing riffs, cinematic electronics and soaring melodies with the band’s unmistakable dual-vocal attack, the track showcases another side of the album’s emotional depth, exploring the devastating cycle of emotional abuse and the addictive pull of toxic relationships. Dark, immersive and intensely melodic, “Frostbite” once again demonstrates why Raunchy remain one of metal’s most distinctive and forward-thinking acts.

““Frostbite” portrays the haunting cycle of abuse in the form of a love that is both intoxicating and destructive”, the band comments about the song. “One becomes emotionally desensitized as the self is trapped in patterns of hurt, numbness, and longing for the warmth of connection that is never fully realized. Ultimately, this song illustrates the curious addiction to a bitter paradise, where suffering becomes familiar, and the heart remains frozen between desire and despair”.

Join the premiering here:

There’s a particular kind of silence that follows a band when nobody’s quite sure if they’re done or just sleeping. For Raunchy, that silence lasted the better part of a decade – and now it’s broken.

“Prisoner”, the seventh studio album from the Danish genre-benders, lands in summer 2026 via Mighty Music, the same label that first put them on record back in 2001. A full-circle moment, and the band knows it.

“It feels right being back at Mighty,” says drummer Morten “Molle” Toft Hansen. “We’ve been around the block – Nuclear Blast, Lifeforce, Massacre – and there’s something about coming home to the people who believed in us first. They get what this band is”.

For longtime fans, that’s almost the entire story right there. Raunchy have always been the band that belonged everywhere and nowhere: too melodic for death metal purists, too heavy for the radio crowd, too synth-driven for the metalcore kids, and too riff-forward for anyone trying to file them under industrial. “Prisoner” doesn’t try to resolve that contradiction. It leans into it.

Drum tracking began as far back as 2021 – a Facebook clip of Molle behind the kit was the first sign of life in nearly seven years. From there, the album came together slowly, piece by piece, squeezed in between day jobs, family life, and a pandemic that wasn’t doing anyone any favors. “This album took the time it needed” says keyboardist and vocalist Jeppe Christensen. “We had no deadline. No label breathing down our necks. We just wrote until the songs felt right and threw out everything that didn’t. I think you can hear that – there’s no filler on this one”. Producer Jacob Hansen, who has helmed nearly every Raunchy record going back to “Velvet Noise”, returned for “Prisoner”, and the chemistry shows. Hansen knows this band’s DNA better than anyone outside the lineup itself.

Vocalist Mike Semesky, who joined for “Vices.Virtues.Visions.” in 2014, describes the writing process as something closer to therapy than tracking sessions: “A lot happened in twelve years. People got married, people lost people, the world got weirder. “Prisoner” is about all of that: being trapped in your own head, in your own patterns, in time itself. But it’s not a depressing record. It’s a defiant one”.

If “Vices.Virtues.Visions.” was the most emotionally layered Raunchy album, “Prisoner” is the most cinematic. The synths are bigger. The hooks are sharper. The heavy parts are heavier. Lead single “Designed Despair” arrived in early 2026 and sets the tone: soaring choruses crashing into industrial breakdowns, with both vocalists trading lines in a way that feels less like duet and more like dialogue. The inspirations? Everything from the band’s early industrial loves (Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad) to modern cinematic scoring, late-period Ghost, and – Jeppe insists – “A healthy amount of 80s synth-pop we’ll never publicly admit to”.

Raunchy aren’t promising another album in two years. They’ve never worked that way. But they are promising shows, and the energy around the reunion feels different than a typical comeback cycle. “We’re not chasing anything” Molle says. “We made the record we wanted to make. If people show up, that’s the gift. And if they don’t, we’ll still have an album we’re proud of”. Twelve years between albums. Same band. No apologies.

“Prisoner” will be released on LP (gatefold splatter double vinyl, limited to 500 copies), CD and digital formats on 14.08.2026, via Mighty Music. The first 250 orders in Targetshop and Bandcamp will get a free patch.

Lineup:
Jesper Kvist – bass
Morten Toft Hansen – drums
Jesper Andreas Tilsted – guitars, keyboards
Lars Christensen – guitars
Jeppe Christensen – keyboards, vocals
Mike Semesky – vocals

Digital single: https://rnch.bfan.link/frstbt
Webshop: https://bit.ly/rnch-tgt

Web:
https://www.facebook.com/ronniband
https://www.instagram.com/raunchyofficial
https://x.com/Raunchyofficial
https://raunchylfr.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/4IE8lT02HoEygu1flFQB7m
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/raunchy/17511114
https://www.youtube.com/@Raunchyofficial
https://music.amazon.com/artists/B000QJKLBS/raunchy
https://tidal.com/artist/3543456
https://play.qobuz.com/artist/551944
https://link.deezer.com/s/32RpgPDVXlGfnHhrrzugG
https://soundcloud.com/raunchyofficial

SAVAGE LANDS And Brutal Assault Festival Announce Partnership

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 30, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Brutal Assault Festival, Savage Lands. Leave a comment

After witnessing the threat of deforestation first-hand in Costa Rica, Sylvain Demercastel and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren started Savage Lands, the world’s first environmental non-profit powered by the metal community. The 501 (c) (3) organization has led biodiversity initiatives around the globe while partnering with members of Metallica, Gojira, Alissa White-Gluz and Heilung, as well as other organizations like Hellfest and the Jane Goodall Institute.

Today, Savage Lands are thrilled to announce a three-year strategic partnership with Brutal Assault, one of Europe’s premiere music festivals for heavy music. With this partnership, both organizations are sending a call to the cultural community by inviting all festivals and artists to join their ecological movement.

Together, Savage Lands and Brutal Assault will promote biodiversity through eco-friendly merchandise, festival-wide awareness campaigns conservation projects and the expansion of Brutal Forest, Brutal Assault’s long-term reforestation initiative, which has planted more than 12,000 trees across the Czech Republic.

Savage Lands are also launching a Biodiversity tour. Starting in 2027, the tour will travel to various European festivals, including Brutal Assault. The organization will lead environmental projects in each country that the tour visits.

“Savage Lands is thrilled to join forces with Brutal Assault in the fight for biodiversity. Through this partnership, our organization is crossing a threshold by expanding our international operations”, Savage Lands co-founder Sylvain Demercastel says. “The biodiversity crisis is bigger than any one organization. It demands new ideas, new alliances and new forms of leadership. On behalf of Savage Lands, I invite every festival, every artist, every cultural organization to support this movement and join The Army of the Trees”.

“This partnership reflects a shared conviction between Brutal Assault and Savage Lands”, Brutal Assault founders Martin “Shindy” Brzobohaty Vladan and Tomáš Fiala say. “For decades, festivals have shaped music, inspired generations and created unforgettable memories. Today, we have an opportunity to create something even greater: a lasting legacy through the ecosystems they help protect. Today, Brutal Assault is proud to answer the call”.

Read more about the partnership between Savage Lands and Brutal Assault on Brutal Assault’s website.

Get tickets to Brutal Assault 2026: https://brutalassault.cz/en

Since it was founded in 2022, Savage Lands has planted 12,000 trees in Costa Rica as part of Alianza Verde, plus another 1,500 trees at Hellfest. They’ve created three forest sanctuaries in France, two ecological easements in Costa Rica, and one biological corridor in Burundi with the Jane Goodall Institute. 100% of the royalties earned by their debut album, Army of the Trees, fund Savage Lands’ ongoing preservation projects.

Tracklist:
1. Black Rock Heart (feat Kai Uwe Faust, Chloe Trujillo) (4:36) [WATCH]
2. Ruling Queen (featuring Alissa White-Gluz, Kenny Andrews) (4:31) [WATCH]
3. The Last Howl (featuring John Tardy, Andreas Kisser) (6:04) [WATCH]
4. No Remedy (featuring Maria Franz) (4:27) [WATCH]
5. Out of Breath (featuring Lord Of The Lost, Chloe Trujillo) (4:49) [WATCH]
6. Better Man (4:23)
7. Never Be Up (3:42)
8. Army of the Trees (4:26) [WATCH]
9. Visions of Life (4:02)
10. Addicted (4:45)
Full runtime: 46:02

Order & Stream Army of the Trees: https://orcd.co/savagelandsarmyofthetrees
Learn more about Savage Lands: https://savagelands.org/

DONATE: https://savagelands.org/donation/

Having seen first-hand how deforestation threatens Costa Rica’s rain forest, two angry metalheads are banging their heads together to protect the world’s ecosystem.

“After hearing the chainsaws on a daily basis, we knew it was time to act”, says musician-turned-activist Sylvain Demercastel, “because the buzzing is only getting louder”.

Sylvain founded Savage Lands with his long-time friend and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren in 2022. Thanks to their music, the 501 (c) (3) non-profit has preserved 100,000 square feet of forest in high-risk areas along the Costa Rican coastline. 100% of the royalties from their first album, Army of the Trees, support their ongoing preservation projects in Costa Rica and other countries.

The roots behind Savage Lands run deep. Dirk and Sylvain first met in France during the late ‘90s, when they both played in the socially conscious thrash metal band Artsonic. But just like a tree, the organization is supported by different types of branches.

“As a non-profit, we depend on the support of other organizations, fellow artists and our listeners”, Dirk says.

In Costa Rica, Savage Lands partners with scientists, forest engineers, ecological parks, private businesses and other non-profits. Their Green Alliance(Alianza Verde) has led to more than 11,000 trees being planted in deforested areas throughout Costa Rica thanks to the help of 1,200 volunteers.

“What Savage Lands is doing is fantastic,” says Dr. Jane Goodall, whose global institute is partnering with the metal non-profit’s European branch on preservation projects in France and Africa. “Nature is music. Trees have music, but when we lose species after species, our ecosystem collapses. Savage Lands are using their music to support projects that promote biodiversity, which will help make the world better for future generations”.

Collaboration also fuels the creative fires of Savage Lands. The core band includes Poun and Etienne Treton from the veteran French metalcore band Black Bomb A, along with Loco Muerte’s Florian Pons. When they planted their ecological flag on Hellfest’s main stage in 2024, movers and shakers from across the metal sphere showed up to support. Not only did the festival leader pledge to donate 1 million Euro to the organizations over the next five years. Daniel de Jongh (Textures), Silje Wergeland (The Gathering), Jesper Liveröd (Nasum), Alejandro Montoya (Cultura tres), Vincent Price (Body Count), Billy Graziadei (Biohazard), Shane Embury (Napalm Death) and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) all joined for an appropriately bloody and scream-worthy rendition of “Roots”.

“I’m happy to be a part of such a truly important cause”, Embury said after the performance. “We are connected with every living thing on this planet and Savage Lands is helping to preserve nature’s treasures”.

Army of the Treesfeatures even more metallic fire power. Out of the sludgy distortion that spews from “The Last Howl” crawls Obituary’s John Tardy, who pays a fitting tribute to the endangered Howler monkey by unleashing his inner primate with spit-flinging growls. “Black Rock Heart” carves out a wickedly blackened groove, though the song’s aggressive chug is fueled by more spiritual concerns. “We wanted the music to reflect our mounting frustration with the way the real estate heat wave is destroying Costa Rica’s ecosystem”, Sylvain says. “For so long, nature has been trying to warn us that we’re putting our future at risk”. Who else could represent the magical spirit of the forest but visionary artist Chloé Trujillo and Heilung’s chief of ceremonies Kai Uwe Faust.

Heilung are also working with Savage Lands outside of the recording studio. The world-famous Nordic collective donated $1 for every ticket sold during their most-recent U.S. tourto support their Season of Mist labelmates. “Supporting Savage Lands was an easy decision for us”, says Maria Franz, whose soothing high notes grace the melancholic power ballad “No Remedy”.

“That’s another beautiful thing about Savage Lands”, Sylvain says. “As a band, we’re not limited to just one genre. We can adapt to boost the strengths of whomever is joining us”.

Savage Lands’ debut album introduces several new species of metalhead to their ecosystem. Eurovision’s darlings Lord Of The Lost spill their blood and glitter over the spiky riffs that puncture “Out of Breath”. Holding court over lead single “Ruling Queen” with her serpentine cleans and lioness roar is none other than Alissa White-Gluz. “Now is the time to take a stand”, the band roar in a fierce rallying cry during the album’s climactic title track, backed by Julien Truchan from Benighted and other pillars from the French metal community.

“Our goals are attainable,” Sylvain and Dirk say. “By converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism. But we must work together and quickly. Ecosystems are still under attack. If we don’t, then there won’t be any wildlife left to save”.

Raise your horns and join the Army of the Trees in support of the metal non-profit.

Core Lineup:
Poun – Vocals
Sylvain Demercastel – Guitars
Etienne Treton – Bass
Florian Pons – Drums

Special Member:
Dirk Verbeuren (Drums on “Black Rock Heart”, “The Last Howl” and “Out of Breath)

Collaborators:
Stephane Buriez
Ardag Basmadjian
HK Nico + James at Vamacara

Guest Features:
Kai Uwe Faust – Vocals (Black Rock Heart)
Chloe Trujillo – Vocals (Black Rock Heart, Out of Breath)
Alissa White-Gluz – Vocals (Ruling Queen)
Kenneth Andrews – Guitar (Ruling Queen)
Andreas Kisser – Guitar (The Last Howl)
John Tardy – Vocals (The Last Howl)
Maria Franz – Vocals (No Remedy)
Lord Of The Lost – Vocals, Guitars (Out of Breath)

*Army of Trees features Steeven Corsini (Loco Muerte), Auré Jäger (Akiavel), David & Viber (Sidilarsen), Niko Jones (Tagada Jones), Julien Truchan (Benighted), Stéphane Buriez (Loudblast, Sinsaenum), Nils Courbaron (Bloodorn, Sirenia, DDC) and Aurelien Ouzoulias (The Beat Factory, Mörglbl).

Production:
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Adair Daufembach at Daufembach Studio in Los Angeles.

Cover Artist:
Brewster Agency

Follow Savage Lands:
Official Website: https://savagelands.org/
Bandcamp: https://savagelands.bandcamp.com/album/army-of-the-trees
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/savage-lands/1712738479
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fft5SyNYhNar3PdYtKQSF
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/p/Savage-Lands-100081754354224/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savagelands_project/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@savagelands9644

INHERITED Drop New Single ‘Won’t Break’ from Upcoming EP

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 30, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: INHERITED. Leave a comment

Flying the flag for ZLHC (Zeeland Hardcore), Dutch groove–hardcore ascendents Inherited have revealed their latest single, ‘WON’T BREAK,’ taken from their upcoming EP, ALL 4 ONE, to be released on 2 October via Mascot Records.

The three-and-a-half-minute song hits like a ten-ton truck and sends a message of pushing against adversity – with a tasty little trip-hop-inflected outro to keep things interesting. Talking about the track, they say, “This song is pure resilience. It’s about standing your ground no matter what gets thrown at you. Everyone hits moments where it feels like too much, like ‘every day feels like a fever dream’, but breaking is a choice, and we refuse. The line ‘I won’t break, no matter how much I must take’ is the backbone of this track. It’s about knowing your own strength, even when everything around you tries to tear it down.”

With three of the five still in their teens, Inherited – Jamie Versprille (Vocals), Marvin Wesdorp (Guitar), Midas Giele (Guitar), Lucas Camonier (Bass) and Neill Ray (Drums) – are battering down the doors of the underground circuit and carving their name into every stage they step onto since forming in 2024.

In June, they unleashed the first song from the record – produced by Robin Adams (Architects, Guilt Trip, Blood Youth) and mastered by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery). ‘INHERITED’ tells the story of their roots and how hardcore surges through their DNA. Vocalist Jamie explains, It’s all about where we come from: our family, our blood, everything that shaped us. It is what we have been given, and we owe it everything. That’s why we carry that legacy forward.”

Their pathway was laid out 30 years ago by Zeeland’s death-metal firebrands, Polluted Inheritance. Inherited’s Lucas Camonier (Bass) and Marvin Wesdorp (Guitar) are the sons of Polluted Inheritance’s Ronald Camonier and Erwin Wesdorp.

Identity is everything to them. A sense of community is at the heart of Inherited, both in their hometown of Zeeland and in their roots. They have no time to hang around; they played their sixth-ever show on the hallowed stage of Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival, the result of them winning the Dutch Metal Battle 2024, which saw the band hire a double-decker bus to transport 100 fans 200 miles from their hometown to the final. They don’t see obstacles; they see only opportunities.

Forged in the underground scene, they’ve journeyed across the Netherlands underbelly: dive bars, a Skate Park, a barbershop, and a giveaway store. They’ve played underground bunkers in France and a youth-oriented chapel in Belgium. The underground ethic runs deep in the band, but they’re also headlining 400-cap venues with people pouring out of the door. They’ve supported Pro-Pain, Dark Angel, Bodyfarm, Master and hit the festival circuit: Wacken-Open-Air, Dynamo Festival, South of Heaven and more.

They’re clearing their way for their own path, carrying a message of empowerment, perseverance, community, brotherhood, and family. The bloodline runs strong.

ALL 4 ONE track list:

1. INTRO
2. WASTED SPACE
3. WON’T BREAK
4. ALL 4 ONE
5. INHERITED

Tour dates

Tickets are available here – https://inherited-band.com/

29.08.26: Hit The City Festival – Eindhoven (NL)
18.10.26: Musicon – Den Haag (NL)
22.05.27: Triple Threat Fest – Den Haag (NL)

IRIDIUM Sign with Napalm Records + Unveil Visualizer for ‘Endgame’ Single

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 30, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Iridium. Leave a comment

Hailing from London, UK, IRIDIUM are one of the most exciting new names in modern metalcore. Combining razor-sharp riffs and crushing breakdowns with atmospheric electronics and emotionally charged songwriting, the band has forged a sound that is both dynamic and forward-thinking. Their blend of technical precision, introspective lyricism and uncompromising heaviness has quickly earned them a dedicated and rapidly growing fanbase.

Following the release of their EP HELL IS JUST A HALFWAY HOUSE earlier this year, IRIDIUM have surpassed 115,000 monthly Spotify listeners and amassed more than three million streams worldwide. Now, the band embarks on an exciting new chapter by signing with Napalm Records and unleashing “ENDGAME”, their first single for the label.

IRIDIUM about the signing:
“We are delighted to be working with Napalm Records. Napalm is renowned for its exceptional roster of heavy bands, and we are honoured to be joining such a highly regarded team. It has always been our ambition to push IRIDIUM as far as it can go, and it’s fantastic to be working with a label that shares our vision for the band.”

With “ENDGAME”, IRIDIUM continue to evolve their sound, seamlessly blending technical precision with emotional depth. Progressive riffing collides with soaring melodies before erupting into crushing, pit-ready breakdowns, while acoustic guitars and haunting clean vocals bring the track to a reflective close. Lyrically, “ENDGAME” explores existentialism, questioning whether there is more to life in the face of human corruption. The result is the band’s most ambitious and emotionally powerful material to date.
IRIDIUM comment about the single:
“Our first single with Napalm, ‘ENDGAME’, takes the IRIDIUM sound further than ever before, combining our most technical riffs to date with the raw emotional energy established on HELL IS JUST A HALFWAY HOUSE. Touching on existentialism and grounded in personal experience, ‘ENDGAME’ explores whether there can be more to life in the face of human corruption.
This is a new chapter. The journey is just beginning.”

IRIDIUM Live 2026
31.07.26 UK – Kingston / The Fighting Cocks
04.09.26 UK – Carlisle / The Brickyard

IRIDIUM are:
Danny Lewis – Lead vocals
Aaron Kumar – Lead guitar
Jack Knights – Rhythm guitar & clean vocals
Dan Wright – Bass
Matt Beresford – Drums

IRIDIUM online:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Tiktok
Napalm Records

MORBID STENCH Announce New Album “Doom Metástasis”, Out October 2nd

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 30, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: MORBID STENCH. Leave a comment

Central American death-doom practitioners MORBID STENCH will release their third full-length album, “Doom Metástasis”, on October 2nd, 2026 through Nuclear Winter Records and Putrid Cult. The album will be available on LP, CD and cassette formats.

Deeply rooted in death-doom metal, the record broadens the group’s sonic palette through a more developed approach to songwriting, without losing the weight and darkness that have always defined their sound. Conceived as a conceptual work, the album follows a process of transformation that moves from inner decay to complete propagation, blending biological imagery with reflections on identity, inevitability and the cyclical nature of existence. This narrative framework gives the album a strong sense of continuity, shaping a journey rather than a simple collection of individual tracks.

Musically, MORBID STENCH combine crushing slow-paced sections, oppressive atmospheres and carefully crafted arrangements, balancing immediacy and depth. With “Doom Metástasis”, the band expands its vision while remaining faithful to the raw spirit of Central American death-doom metal.

The first single “Hyperbolic” is now streaming HERE.

Tracklist:

01. Necrotic from Within
02. The Morbid Waltz
03. Hyperbolic
04. Bizarre and Beyond
05. Narcissistic God
06. Crawling out of the Swamps

Formed in 2014 by veteran musicians The Master Butcher (Costa Rica), Morbid and Purulent (El Salvador), MORBID STENCH was created to explore the darkest and most putrid side of doom metal, enriched by a strong death metal influence. With all members active in the extreme metal scene since the early ’90s, the band combines crushing heaviness, oppressive atmospheres and rotten melodies, drawing inspiration from the forgotten swamps of Central America.

Their debut EP “The Stench of Doom” was released in 2016 on cassette through Morbid Skull Recs (El Salvador) and Till You Fukkin Bleed (Poland), quickly selling out and followed by a short tour in El Salvador and Guatemala with CONCEIVED BY HATE. In 2017, the band released the split 7” EP “The Bifid Tongue of Doom & Death” with Costa Rican death metal act NECROGOD.

The debut full-length “Doom & Putrefaction” arrived in 2019 through Putrid Cult, Morbid Skull Recs and other international labels, receiving strong feedback from the underground scene. This was followed by the split 7” EP “Ghospels of Necromancy” with Dutch death metal band ANARCHOS in 2020, and the second album “The Rotting Ways of Doom” in 2022, further establishing the band’s reputation among doom/death enthusiasts.

Despite the members now living in three different countries, the creative chemistry within MORBID STENCH remains intact. The songwriting process begins with Morbid composing and recording guitar and bass parts at his “Víspera del Demonio” studio in San Salvador, creating raw demo versions that are shared with the band for feedback and development. Purulent then works on the drum arrangements, while The Master Butcher completes the songs with his lyrics and vocal performances.

In 2026, MORBID STENCH will release their third full-length album, “Doom Metástasis”, a conceptual work that continues the band’s exploration of decay, darkness and the oppressive atmosphere of their signature doom/death metal.

Line-up:

The Master Butcher – Esophagus
Morbid – Cosmic Chords of Doom
Purulent – Barrels Full of Putrid Waste

https://morbidstench.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/morbidstench

Multi-Instrumentalist DIKAJEE Releases New Video Single ‘Gunpowder’, Feat. Varijashree Venugopal & Jonathan Noyce

Posted by tarjavirmakari on July 30, 2026

Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: DIKAJEE. Leave a comment

The hauntingly brilliant multi-instrumentalist Dikajee has announced her brand new album The Frame, which will be out on 6th November. In celebration, the new single ‘Gunpowder’ is now being released with a music video, featuring Varijashree Venugopal (Snarky Puppy) and Jonathan Noyce (Archive, Jethro Tull).

Pre-order The Frame here: https://dikajee.bandcamp.com

Mastermind Olga Karpova comments on the video: “The ‘Gunpowder’ video is a story of overcoming the limits of the mind and body. The Blind will see, the Child will light the fires and the Ghost will have a face again. This is the life of a human“

Singer-songwriter Dikajee has captivated audiences on stages around the world, sharing lineups with acclaimed artists across the progressive, folk, and metal scenes.

In 2021, Dikajee released her critically acclaimed album Forget~Me~Nots, showcasing an intricate blend of folk, neo-baroque, neoclassical, and progressive rock. The album features guest appearances from Fiona Rüggeberg (flutes, bagpipes; FAUN), Guillaume Bernard (guitars; KLONE), and Artis Orubs (drums; Erik Truffaz), and received widespread praise from music publications across Europe, the UK, and the USA. Her achievements include being voted #1 Best New Artist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2025), #4 Vocalist of the Year in the Prog Readers Poll (2021), while her single ‘Lily Of The Valley’ was featured on The Best of Metal Hammer 2021 compilation.

Her voice is incredibly versatile, allowing her to move effortlessly between genres and styles. From classical operatic vocals to extreme metal and everything in between, Dikajee‘s exceptional range, virtuoso vocal dynamics, and refined technique make her one of those rare singers capable of excelling across an extraordinary breadth of vocal styles. In 2023, the Russian-born artist was granted a UK Global Talent Visa and relocated from Saint Petersburg to the United Kingdom, where she rebuilt her band with a brand-new lineup.

Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Dikajee is set to release her second full-length album, The Frame, on 6th November 2026. The album features an international lineup of guest musicians including Jonathan Noyce (Archive, Jethro Tull), Varijashree Venugopal (Snarky Puppy), German Vergara (Aisles), Guillaume Bernard (KLONE), Christian Ayala (Avandra), Vikram Shankar (Pain of Salvation, Charlotte Wessels, Within Temptation, Lux Terminus), and many more.

Both of Dikajee‘s albums showcase her distinctive blend of progressive rock, folk, classical music, and metal, highlighting her adventurous songwriting and fearless musical vision.

Track-list:
1. The Frame
2. Gunpowder
3. In the Blink of an Eye
4, Home of the Wind
5. Friar’s Lantern
6. Thrown Ashore
7. Imaginary Doctor
8. Travel Through Time (feat. German Vergara)
9. Troin (outro)

Dikajee live:
05/09 – Nene Valley Festival; full band
27/09 – the Horn, St Albans, solo, (supporting John Hackett Band)
08/10 – the Piper, st Leonard, solo (supporting John Hackett Band)
10/10 – West Hampstead arts Club, solo (supporting John Hackett Band)
25/10 – Bristol, JamJar, full band (supporting The Paradow Twin)
14/11 – Middlesbrough, Toft House, solo, supporting Shannon Pearl
30/11 – London, WaterRats, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin)
04/12 – Manchester, Empty Space, full band (supporting The Paradox Twin)

Dikajee are:
Olga Karpova – songwriting, grand piano, keys, arrangements
Dmitry Irinovich (studio) – keys, orchestral arrangements, keys
Christian Ayala (studio) – guitars, programming
Benjamin Baert – drums (studio)
Graham Brown – drums (live)
Gulia Naumova, Ksenia Sednina – strings, backing vocals
Joe Fraser – guitars, vocals
Victor Sankov – bass (studio) (tracks 1,3,4,8,9)
David Honour – bass, backing vocals (live)

Follow Dikajee:
https://dikajee.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/dikajee
https://www.facebook.com/odikajee